Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing... — Page 3

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#51

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 3:45pm

I would like to see Mary Louise Wilson used in some way as well as Christine Ebersole. They make such an endearing team.

"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"

#52

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 3:47pm

BAD choice. Don't those people put any thought into this? Ugh.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#53

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 3:51pm

Like the song with reservations. I myself love Revolutionary Costume and I'll be at the awards so I'm excited anyhow.
One thing to consider in its favor-It's from the documentary-you might just get a few viewers who remember it or to whom it sounds familiar.

Against it-it's a little 'weird' and 'quirky' (I love it, honestly) and "Around the World" shows more of her acting depth.

I also wonder-are they cutting it down a little for the Tonys as it goes over the time limit? (I remember when Tonya Pinkins did "Lot's Wife" they had to.)

"A birdcage I plan to hang. I'll get to that someday. A birdcage for a bird who flew away...Around the world." "Life is a cabaret old chum, only a cabaret old chum, and I love a cabaret!"-RIP Natasha Richardson-I was honored to have witnessed her performance as Sally Bowles.

Updated On: 5/20/07 at 03:51 PM

#54

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:02pm

But "Revolutionary Costume" isn't 8 minutes long.

The song is alienating and weird to people who don't know what it is. It won't necessarily sell tickets. Show off the quirkiness in another way - do a snippet from something else. GREY GARDENS is filled with some of the most beautiful lyrics and melodies, and it's a shame that they're not going to show it off.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#55

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:06pm

Think of it this way-It's a funny song and Christine does perform it with an eerie similarity to the real Little Edie.
(it's disarming, really)
And, no doubt, there will be some explanation as to what's going on prior to her taking the stage. I think it may be a better sell than say, "Another Winter" which I adore, but I've seen the show many, many times and understand its context. Most of the Act II songs featuring Christine need to understand the context for.
This is possibly the one that requires the least explanation besides the House We Live In. (interesting idea, but not enough buildup of Christine's performance in the song, IMO.)

#56

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:09pm

Actually, to be honest, I don't think that Ebersole is similar to the read Edie at all.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#57

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:09pm

I agree that they should do "Around the World" or "Another WInter".

If you've seen the Grey Gardens documentary "Revolutionary Costume" is a delight, a very clever way of turning a bizarre moment with an eccentric character into song.

If you haven't seen the documentary you can only wonder what the hell is going on.

Perhaps to conform with network TV standards and avoid upsetting the religious right they could have Little Edie brutally murder someone instead of saying "Goddamn".

"I have got to have some professional music!" - Big Edie

#58

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:12pm

Would a few people please agree with Wanna Be a Foster, please? I'm afraid he's going to have a stroke and it's not worth it

#59

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:15pm

Well...she's only getting about 3 minutes, so it's still not going to be the entire thing.

Oy!

#60

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:15pm

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#61

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:19pm

I would have liked them to choose another song- I'm not sure which one- but I'll enjoy seeing that. The first time I saw the show I didn't really get the song, and it has since grown on me. Hopefully the home viewers will be more informed than I.

"I'll cut you, Tracee Beazer!!!! ...Just kidding. I'd never cut anyone." -Tina Maddigan, 9/30/06, WS stage door
Avatar: JULIE "EFFING" WHITE, 2007 TONY WINNER. Thank God. I'm thinking about legally changing my name to Lizzie Curry...

#62

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:23pm

Television viewers are not informed. They expect the television to tell them everything; what to think, what is right, what is wrong, who is good, who is bad, who matters, who is irrelevant. Don't expect TV viewers to be informed. People watch TV so that they don't have to worry about taking the time to get informed.

#63

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:24pm

BrodyFosse-I'm pretty sure she'll be allowed to do the whole thing. The song is a little over 4 minutes, and I recall the maximum for the Tony's being around 5 minutes. At least, The Drowsy Chaperone's performance was about 5 and a half minutes.

"Sing the words, Patti!!!!" Stephen Sondheim to Patti LuPone.

#64

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 4:25pm

Foster, what makes you think that this year's Tony broadcast is going to have any viewers?

"I have got to have some professional music!" - Big Edie

#65

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 6:08pm

While I partially agree with the statement about TV viewers, it's hardly all of them. I'm not sure how many people ran out and decided to be pot dealers after Weeds gained popularity... and the viewers that you're talking about- will any of them even be watching this? I'm surprised there's such an uproar after all the bitching people did about The Sopranos finale being the same night. As far as previously concerned, no one but the members of BWW was going to be watching, anyway! And we all know what Grey Gardens is about!

It's like writing "Norma Shearer for the win!" in a Joan Crawford biography.

#66

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 6:39pm

"Television viewers are not informed."

Foster---Do you seriously think that any of those "uninformed viewers" will even be tuning in to the broadcast?

The Tonys have a total viewing audience that is only slightly above a rerun of The Munsters. And that's being hopeful.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#67

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 8:29pm

"Sometimes I wonder what is wrong with you.

THe same goes for ANY song.

The audience wouldn't know why in The Drowsy Chaperone she cares about Showing Off, why in Wicked they want to Defy Gravity, why in Urinetown they want to run to Run to Freedom, why in Ragtime they were circling each other..."

"The Five-Fifteen" is about performing menial tasks throughout the day. The songs you just mentioned have a lot of plot and meat to them. Plus, they are far more entertaining.

#68

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 9:23pm

I bought the GG cast recording before seeing both the documentary and the show, and Revolutionary Costume was just downright bizarre to me then. I liked Around the World and Will You. I didn't understand what she was singing about in the former, but it was a beautiful song that showcased a wide range of emotions. Will You was just pretty.

I'm just rambling now, but what I'm trying to say is that I would prefer them doing something else besides Revolutionary Costume. I don't think many, if any at all, of the uninformed television viewers are going to be watching the Tonys, but there are still some theatre fans who don't know much about Grey Gardens and are watching the Tonys.

"It's a goddamn beautiful day, shut up!"

#69

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 9:40pm

If they insist on performing "Revolutionary Costume" I wonder if they might also consider showing a brief clip from that "costume" scene in the documentary, perhaps with a voice over explaining the premise of the show.

"I have got to have some professional music!" - Big Edie

#70

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 10:18pm

When have they not done brief introductions for each show that performs?

It's like writing "Norma Shearer for the win!" in a Joan Crawford biography.

#71

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/20/07 at 10:41pm

Including footage from the movie the show was based on? I don't remember that.

"I have got to have some professional music!" - Big Edie

#72

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/21/07 at 1:06am

I think "Costume" is Grey Gardens's best offering, especially for the Tonys. I've seen the show so I know the songs in context, but if I were unfamiliar with the show and saw either "Winter" or "Around the World" at the Tonys, I'd probably be a bit bored because I wouldn't know what's going on. "Costume" is delightful. People are going to want to see something eccentric and quirky and funny. It's much easier to sell the comedy than the dramatics, no matter how wonderful the nuances in the acting are. Showing anything from the first act is unwise. People who are fans of the documentary alone would be confused. And the new advertisements are stressing the weird and tabloid aspect of the show. Therefore, "Costume" is their best bet at selling tickets. I don't know why people would want to think that Grey Gardens is a traditional musical. If they know the subject matter, then they would want to see something completely different than the norm.

~Steven

#73

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/22/07 at 12:14pm

Regardless of which song they are performing, if the show doesn't win the Best Musical trophy, then it will still be closing 3 months after the Tony broadcast.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#74

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/22/07 at 12:27pm

October is 4 months from June, not 3 - and nothing is set in stone.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#75

re: Tony night, GREY GARDENS is performing...

Posted: 5/22/07 at 12:30pm

Knowingly true. But also knowingly true that with that trophy, the show will be gone sooner than later.

And if somehow Audra can beat Ebersole...I don't even want to think about it.

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